Lid actuating device

ABSTRACT

A container is provided with a lid supported on the container case in the manner of a lever and a press member pivoted to an upper end portion of a handle. The press member has two stepped portions to be brought into engagement with the end of lever on the lid. When the press member is depressed in normal operation, the lid is opened to such an extent that the contents can be poured out and when further depressed, the press member brings the lid to full-opened position.

United States Patent Inventor KikuchiYoshito Nishinomiya, Japan Appl.No. 822,265 Filed May 6, 1969 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 Assignee TigerVacuum Bottle Industrial Company,

Limited Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture, Japan Priority May 8, 1968 Japan43/38,026 and 43/38025 LID ACTUATING DEVICE 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 222/556, 220/94 Int. Cl B65d 47/00, B65d 25/28 T' 'V la F [50]Field of Search 222/556, 517; 220/94; 215/13A [5 6] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,130,856 4/1964 Gits 220/94-A 3,321,115 5/1967Rendahl 222/556X Primary Examiner-Raphael H. Schwartz Attorney-Holmanand Stern Ila ll LID ACTUATING DEVICE The present invention relates to adevice for opening or closing a lid of a container, preferably a vacuumbottle, jug or the like for keeping the contents hotvor cold, which canbe operated by a single hand. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to a lid opening device which is provided with means for openingor closing the lid by two steps depending upon the purpose of theoperation.

With an already known jug or vacuum bottle in which the closure of abottle containing the contents is removed manually every time it isused, the lid supported in a leverlike manner is made to open wide bythe thumbof a hand grasping the handle of the main body. In case ofajugor a vacuum bottle which is so adapted that the closure inserted in themouth of an inner bottle containing the contents is removed manuallyevery time the contents are poured out, an end of the lid hingedlymounted in the manner of a lever is pressed on by the thumb of a handgrasping the handle of the main body to open the lid by one step.

With a vacuum bottle in which the closure used on the mouth of innerbottle is provided with a valve which is adapted to be opened or closed,for instance, by a valve to be closed due to the weight of the lid or bya valve of a float type, the above-mentioned valve is automaticallyopened to pour out the contents when the main body is lifted and tiltedby the hand, so there is no need to open the lid thereover to a greatextent. It is when the above closure is removed to supply fresh contentsinto the bottle that the lid has to be opened wide.

An object of the present invention is to provide means by which the lidof a vacuum bottle having a so-called automatic closure can be readilyoperated by the thumb the lid thereby being adapted to be completelyopened in two steps, the first in which the lid is opened or closed asmall amount, and the other step in which it is opened or closed a largeamount.

Another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum bottlehaving covering lid which can be opened or closed by operating a pressmember when the lid is to be opened or closed a small amount forordinary use, the press member further being so adapted that the lid canbe retained in the half-opened position or can be opened to the greatestextent as desired through the operation of the same press member, thevacuum bottle thus being made very convenient to use.

A further object of the present invention is to facilitate assemblage ofa handle in which the above-mentioned means for opening or closingoperation is provided, without externally exposing the ends of pivotmember of the means.

Other features and advantages of the presentinvention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of the present invention asit is applied to a vacuum bottle to be used on the table;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing a handle and a lid of the vacuumbottle in section;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the relationship between apress member and a tail end portion of a lever of the lid;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line VV in FIG. 2 as seen in thedirection of an arrow; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view in cross section taken along the line VI-VI inFIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. I and 2, a case I is provided with a lip la in theupper portion as already known. In an upper portion of a handle 2 fixedto a side portion of the case 1, there is formed a recess 3. On thesidewall 34 in the recess 3 is mounted by a pivot 7 a tail end 6 of alever 5 formed at a side of a lid 4, On a portion of the recess 3 and aportion of the lever 5 is acting a spring 17 which is exerting its forcein a direction to open the lid 4. At a different position on the wall 34of recess 3 there is disposed at press member 9 mounted on a pivot I2.In mating relationship with a rear end 8 of the lever 5, the pressmember 9 is formed with first and second stepped portions 10 and IIwhich are formed in continuous shape. Between the first and secondstepped portions 10 and II there is formed a cam Ila for pushing up therear end 8 of the lever, and a spring I3 serving to push the rear end 8is acting on the press member 9.

In the above structure, the stepped portions I0, I I, cam Ila and tailend 8 of the lever 5 are so formed that when the rear end 8 is held inengagement with the stepped portion 11 against the spring 17, the cam1111 may push up the lever rear end 8 in sliding contact therewith uponthe press member 9 being pushed toward the lever 5, and that when thelid 4 is in closed position, the rear end 8 is in fitting contact withthe upper stepped portion 10 of the press member 9 as shown in FIG. 2.Designated at 14 is a press portion formed in the upper surface of thepress member 9; at IS, a push portion formed in a end portion of thepress member 9; at IS, a closure of the bottle 20 having a valve and anoperation stem I9 of the valve.

While the lid 4 is in closed position as shown in FIG. 2, the pressmember 9, when its press portion 14 is pressed on by the thumb, isturned clockwise against the spring I3 and the first stepped portion I0gets released from the rear end 8 of the lever 5 as shown in FIG. 3.Upon this release, the lever 5 is turned clockwise by the spring 17 andthe rear end 8 is brought into engagement with the lower stepped portionlI. When the press member 9 is thus positioned, the lid 4 is held opento an extent corresponding to therange of pivotal movement of the lever5 effected as the lever rear end 8 moves from the upper stepped portion10 to the lower stepped portion I I. In this position, shown in solidline in FIG. 3, the lid 4 is kept half-opened. When the lid 4 is broughtto the half-opened position, the valve stem I9 of the closure 16 whichis shown in virtual line in the present embodiment moves up to open thevalve within the closure 16 and the contents are ready to pour out.

Next, when the press member 9 is turned counterclockwise by pushing upthe push portion I5 of the press member 9, the cam Ila of the steppedportion II pushes the lever tail end 6 upward against spring 17 insliding contact with the rear end 8 and, after assuming the positionshown in virtual line in FIG. 4, brings the lid 4 to the originalclosedposition shown in solid line. When the lid 4 is perfectly closed asshown in FIG. I, the press member 9 holds the lever 5 in position withthe upper stepped portion I0 in fitting contact with the rear end 8.

When the press portion 14 of the press member 9, as it is in theposition shown in solid line FIG. 3, is further depressed to turn thepress member 9 clockwise to the full against spring 13, the rear end 8of the lever 5 gets released from the lower stepped portion II, thelever 5 thereby being turned clockwise by a large angle to bring the lid4 to the full-opened position, which is partially indicated in virtualline in FIG. 3. The fullopened position of the lid 4 at this time isdefined by the rear end 8 as it is brought into contact with the stopperI8 formed in the recess 3 of the handle 2. With the lid 4 in full-openedposition, the closure 16 carrying valve therein can be removed todischarge the hole contents at a time or to fill the container with afresh liquid. To close the lid 4 which is in full-opened position, it isdirectly moved by the hand against the spring I7. At this time, due tothe rotation of the lever 5, the press member 9 is pressed on at theinner side and pivotally moved. The lid 4 and press member 9 arereturned to the position shown in FIG. 1. While the lid 4 is retained inhalf-opened or closed position with the rear end 8 in engagement withthe lower stepped portion 11 or with the upper stepped portion 10, it isimpossible to open the lid 4 manually since the rear end 8 is supportedon the bottom surface of the stepped portion I0 or II.

In accordance with the present invention, the handle 2 comprises anouter frame 21 and an inner frame 22 to be combined with the inner sideof the former, a stiffener 23 U-shpaed in section of the inner frame 22covering the opposite sides of the outer frame 21 in combinationtherewith. The stiffener 23 extends along the opposite sides of the armportion at the lower part of the outer frame 21. The inner frame 22 isalso provided, on its side to be in contact with the bottle case I, witha stiffener 24 in contact with the case. A seat portion 26 extendsdownwardly from this portion between the case and a fixing portion 25 atthe lower end of the outer frame 21. These members are secured to thebottle case I by means of a screw 27. Designated at 28 in the drawingare ribs of outer frame 21 on which the stiffener 23 is externallyfitted.

Although the previously-mentioned recess 3 for setting the press member9 and the lever of the lid is continuously formed with the outer frame21, both ofthe sidewalls 34 of the recess 3 are covered with a wall 29of upper extension of the inner frame 22. Indicated at 35 is an upperend of a wall 34 of the outer frame. in a fixing portion 30 at the upperpart of the outer frame 21 which faces the case 1, a bolt 31 isimplanted and the fixing portion 30 is secured to the case 1 by a nut 33together with a set portion 32 of the upper part of the inner frame 22.

In accordance with the present invention, in case where the lid isopened or closed in a small range to pour out the contents in ordinaryuse, the lid is opened or closed by the operation of the press memberwhich prevents full release of the lid, so that the lid can be readilyoperated only by a single hand which grasps the handle, thus remarkablyfacilitating the use of a container with a lid like a vacuum bottle. inaddition, since the contents can be poured out when the lid is in halfopened position, the operation range for the press member to effectpouring is reduced to a small extent. The present invention thereforehas an advantage that pouring operation even when repeatedly done can beeffected readily.

The device is also convenient in that the lid can be retained inhalf-opened position or in full-opened position means of the same pressmember. Unless the press member is actuated, the lid is not opened and,in addition, the end of the press is member in the present embodimentdefines the same plane as the surface of the handle, so that even if thecontainer is tipped over or subject to external force, the liquidcontents are prevented from begin unintentionally poured out.

in accordance with this invention, the opposite ends of pivots 7, 12 ofthe above-mentioned means provided in the upper portion of the handle 2which are exposed on the wall 34 of recess 3 are almost covered withextending wall 29 of the inner frame 22, since the handle providing themeans for opening or closing the lid is formed of a combination of theouter frame 21 and inner frame 22. Thus, as compared with a conventionalstructure in which the pivot ends are externally exposed, the abovestructure of this invention is simple in appearance and more effectivein design. By providing a structure in which the operating portions 14and 15 of the press member 9 are not projected externally from thehandle as in the foregoing embodiment, the appearance of the handle canbe made more simple. In case the outer frame and inner frame, eachdifferent in color, are assembled together, the color arrangement in thehandle can be made more attractive in design. A double structurecomprising outer frame 21 and inner frame 22 not only serves to coverthe ends of pivots 7 and 12 but also renders the handle high instrength. Since the outer and inner frames are joined merely in fittingengagement and can be fixed to the case together, the structure isconvenient to assemble.

lclaim:

l. A container including an outer case having a lip at the upper portionthereof, a handle fixed to a side portion of said case, a recess formedin the upper portion of said handle. a rear end portion of a lidextending over said recess and pivoted to the wall of said recess with arestoring spring providing thereon, and a press member having twostepped engagement portions in mating relationship with said rear endportion and pivoted at another position on the wall of said recess witha restoring spring acting thereon.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said restoring spring onthe pivot of said rear end portion of the lid is so disposed as tocontinuously act in the direction to open the lid, said restoring springacting on said press member is so disposed as to always bring said pressmember into resilient contact with said rear end portion of the lid, anda vacuum bottle being housed within sa|d outer case in an effectivecommunication with said lid.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first steppedengagement portion of said press member is so formed as to engage withthe rear end of the lid as the lid is in closed position.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second steppedengagement portion of said press member is adapted to engage with therear end of the lid as the lid is opened a small amount. I

5. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein between the first steppedengagement portion and the second stepped engagement portion of saidpress member is formed a cam for pushing up the rear end of the lidwhich is in sliding contact therewith.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said press member is formedwith a press portion in the upper part and a push portion in the sideend part.

7. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle comprises andouter frame formed with the recess in the upper portion pivotallysupporting said rear end portion of the lid and said press member, andan inner frame in fitting contact with the inner periphery of said outerframe, said handle being fixed to said case. i

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein upper and lower extensionsof said inner frame are fixed to said case together with upper and lowerfixing portions of said outer frame to secure said handle.

9. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein said inner frame of saidhandle has a first stiffener set on the outer side of ribs of said outerframe and a second stiffener in contact with said case.

l0. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the upper part of saidinner frame of said handle has a portion covering the opposite sides ofthe wall of the recess of said outer frame.

1. A container including an outer case having a lip at the upper portionthereof, a handle fixed to a side portion of said case, a recess formedin the upper portion of said handle, a rear end portion of a lidextending over said recess and pivoted to the wall of said recess with arestoring spring providing thereon, and a press member having twostepped engagement portions in mating relationship with said rear endportion and pivoted at another position on the wall of said recess witha restoring spring acting thereon.
 2. A container as claimed in claim 1wherein said restoring spring on the pivot of said rear end portion ofthe lid is so disposed as to continuously act in the direction to openthe lid, said restoring spring acting on said press member is sodisposed as to always bring said press member into resilient contactwith said rear end portion of the lid, and a vacuum bottle being housedwithin said outer case in an effective communication with said lid.
 3. Acontainer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first stepped engagementportion of said press member is so formed as to engage with the rear endof the lid as the lid is in closed position.
 4. A container as claimedin claim 1 wherein the second stepped engagement portion of said pressmember is adapted to engage with the rear end of the lid as the lid isopened a small amount.
 5. A container as claimed in claim 1 whereinbetween the first stepped engagement portion and the second steppedengagement portion of said press member is formed a cam for pushing upthe rear end of the lid which is in sliding contact therewith.
 6. Acontainer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said press member is formed witha press portion in the upper part and a push portion in the side endpart.
 7. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle comprisesand outer frame formed with the recess in the upper portion pivotallysupporting said rear end portion of the lid and said press member, andan inner frame in fitting contact with the inner periphery of said outerframe, said handle being fixed to said case.
 8. A container as claimedin claim 7 wherein upper and lower extensions of said inner frame arefixed to said case together with upper and lower fixing portions of saidouter frame to secure said handle.
 9. A container as claimed in claim 7wherein said inner frame of said handle has a first stiffener set on theouter side of ribs of said outer frame and a second stiffener in contactwith said case.
 10. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the upperpart of said inner frame of said handle has a portion covering theopposite sides of the wall of the recess of said outer frame.